Elgeyo Marakwet County governor Wisley Rotich on Friday, December 30 launched drone cameras in a bid to boost the fight against insecurity in the county.
Speaking during the commissioning of the pilot program at Tot Police Station, Rotich explained that drone photography would reduce the leverage that criminals had over the police.
"The thieves are alive to the fact that the land is vast and with little infrastructure and often use this to escape law enforcement after staging the attacks.
"With drone technology, the officers will be assisted in locating the criminals and tracking them down even if they escape into the wilderness," Rotich explained.
The county boss intimated that the police county commander and the commissioner asked for aerial support in chasing after the bandits.
On his part, the Elgeyo Marakwet police boss welcomed the decision stating that it would go a long way in reducing the number of deaths of officers ambushed while hunting down criminals.
All drones would be operated by trained pilots and will be sending a live feed to a command center. Communication will then be relayed to officers on the ground.
Rotich added that the cameras would capture the number of criminals and and type of weapons that they are using.
In addition, the county boss disclosed that the pilot program will be launched in Kerio Valley where crime has been rampant.
The move will complement new policies by the government in combating crime. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki announced that he would equip chiefs and train them to handle weapons.
Officers from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) were also dispatched in the counties.
Bandits have been running the show in North Rift counties with police officers finding themselves cornered by the armed men in surprise attacks.
On September 25, peace crusader Mary Kanyaman was killed alongside several officers ambushed by gunmen in Turkana county as they attempted to recover stolen cattle.
